Author Topic: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands  (Read 37294 times)

Cesar “CJ”

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #45 on: April 09, 2015, 07:03:28 PM »
I\'m bumping this back up, because I have yet to find a form of ID I like for growing birds.

Toe-punching will identify a group of birds (pen 1, pen 2) but not individual birds.

I like the butt-end aluminum bands on adults, but they can\'t be applied until the bird is nearly grown.

The NPIP bands break if you look at them - mine were done last month and at least 1/4 have already come off. Plus I test in the fall, so by that point they\'re old enough for permanent bands anyway.

Bandettes break or pull off, and last year the numbers rubbed off of ALL of them in just a few months.

Zip ties work for small hatches but with large numbers it\'s too easy to miss one and have it grow into the leg - not pretty.

Last year I spent a lot of time tattooing, thinking that would solve the problem once and for all, but over time some of the tattoos became unreadable. (Maybe the pen type tattoo kit would work better than the pliers?)

At the moment I\'m writing numbers on the wing-web with a sharpie, but that doesn\'t seem practical for very long.

That brings me to once again considering wing bands, since they can be applied to day-old chicks and supposedly stay on for life. Patty, you mentioned you had a problem with snagging - just wanted to clarify, were those wing bands or wing badges? The badges look really cumbersome, but the bands stick out, too. Has anyone else used wing bands? Do they stay on; do they break; do they get pulled out?

Any other suggestions on how to permanently ID a growing bird? (Or at least last long enough to get a butt-end band on it.)

To id each individual bird i use a color system. As chicks I use water balloon ends or small zip ties. If I run out of colors. I double color example: Red Red, Orange Yellow, Purple Purple, Blue Blue.

Or I select one color for one leg and another color for the other leg. This way I can have same colored bands on the same foot.

The water-balloon ends have worked well until they get about 4-5 weeks old. Then I have switched to a numbering bandette system.

I had a friend use quick dry JB weld inside the bandettes in between the spirals, to keep them from coming undone. But this is when they have their permanent adult bandettes.

Susan Mouw

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #46 on: April 09, 2015, 07:09:08 PM »
It's doing much better. I don't have any trouble with it on a daily bases and don't even think about it, but when I tried to do a pushup last week, it said, "No way!" I'm certain the bones are healed, just don't know why I can't put much weight on it. It's probably more tendon related and I just need to be stretching and working it more.

The Drs didn't recommend any therapy after the cast was off?
Susan Mouw
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Sharon Yorks

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #47 on: April 09, 2015, 07:18:57 PM »
 ::)...yes. I meant to do them. Really I did. Thanks for reminding me. I will do them now.  :)
Sharon Yorks
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Susan Mouw

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #48 on: April 09, 2015, 07:22:58 PM »
LOL...oops!  Sounds like something I would do (or not do ;) )
Susan Mouw
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Susan Mouw

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #49 on: April 29, 2015, 11:36:25 AM »
I\'m not sure if anyone else uses these, but here is a link to an ad on Ebay that is for little colored rubber bands. I use size 4 for when they first hatch, then I switch to size 5 when they are 10-14 days old. I really like them. It\'s just a temporary method for when they are real young. I am planning to get bigger sizes to see how well it works as they get bigger. Just another idea to ponder that is softer and more flexible than zip ties. All 6 colors come in one bag. They sell 100 bands for $7 no shipping. And you can reuse them. They stretch easy when trying to put them on and take them off.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-LEG-BANDS-CHICK-POULTRY-BIRD-QUAIL-EGG-SMALL-SIZE-5-/320365726791?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4a97490c47

I ordered some of these and I absolutely love them!  I was using the zip ties, but I like these much better! Easier to put on and I've only one (out of about 100 chicks, so far) come off. I start with the size 4, switch to the size 5 at about 10 days, and have just started using the size 6 on some of the older chicks (My first "tagged" hatch was 4/6)

Now, I'm trying to decide what to do with the adults.
Susan Mouw
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Sharon Yorks

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #50 on: April 29, 2015, 09:26:41 PM »
I really like the little rubber bands too. Once they have outgrown them, I switch to the #7 size bandettes from Hakes' Twin City Poultry Supplies: https://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=8_24&zenid=5aa960734b32ad9feaa9301dd0941b6b

#7 fits LF from about age 1 month to 3-5 months (depending on bird), then I switch to size #9. I've never had to use anything larger.
Sharon Yorks
Mark 11:23

(Don't tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how big your God is!)

Susan Mouw

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #51 on: April 30, 2015, 12:00:59 PM »
Sharon, how do you apply the bandettes?
Susan Mouw
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Sharon Yorks

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Re: Leg Bands vs. Wing Bands
« Reply #52 on: May 07, 2015, 10:58:01 AM »
With your hands. It's like a little spiral band that you can unwind and then it bounces back when you let go of it. Don't unwind too far or you'll snap and break it. And sometimes if you pull it out too far you will have to squeeze it a little once it's on the bird to help tighten the twist. I really like them.
Sharon Yorks
Mark 11:23

(Don't tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how big your God is!)